I received an email last night after working out a tangle for my client:
Your sterling record of great and extremely responsive service continues untarnished.
Do you get compliments like that from clients? If so, while the appreciation is still warm, now (sooner than later) is the time ask them to provide you a recommendation on LinkedIn.
Here’re the steps to ask for a recommendation.
But you must do it smartly, so consider these tips:
- when you ask, be sure you are asking for the recommendation relevant to the proper job you hold/held at that time
- you should guide them in what you would like them to say; otherwise you risk getting a limp, boilerplate recommendation
- be sure the recommendation request reflects one or more of the skills or character traits you are conveying in your profile
- ask them to relate an anecdote or situation where you rose above what others would have done or helped in a special way
- review what they send to you and ask them to amend it for typos, grammar errors, inaccuracies, or to make a point a bit more strongly or clearly
- publish it on LinkedIn and it will appear as an update on your connections’ home page
- thank the recommender separately by email, phone call, or in person for helping you
- if they are worthy of a recommendation back, wait a few days or a week and them write yours to them. As you can see from the graphic, give more than you receive.
Used well, recommendations can be very powerful in reinforcing your brand.